In brief
- Brave browser now supports Apple computers using its new ARM-based M1 processors.
- Apple's M1 chip powers its 2020 line-up of MacBooks.
- It's substantially faster than the Intel-based processors that previously powered Apple products.
Crypto-powered browser Brave has rolled out a new version of its desktop browser, adding native support for Apple's new M1 Mac processor.
The v1.18.77 update sees Brave join rival browsers Chrome and Firefox in supporting Apple's ARM-based M1 system on a chip; a version of Microsoft's Edge browser with M1 support is also available in its Canary release channel.
Our last desktop browser update of the year (v1.18.77) features native support for M1 Macs, a localization fix for Brave Rewards, and fixes for playing videos on HBO Max and IMDb. https://t.co/4wVWi8TElt pic.twitter.com/6P2jBAMwSk
— Brave Software (@brave) December 30, 2020
To download the updated browser, you'll need to visit Brave's website and, after hitting "Download," select the type of chip that your Mac features. Most Macs use an Intel processor; only the 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac mini, released in November 2020, feature the new M1 silicon.
To find out whether your Mac includes the M1 processor, click on the Apple icon in the top left of the computer's menu bar, and select "About This Mac". In the "Overview" tab, check whether it says "Intel" or "Apple" under the "Processor" or "Chip" section.
What is Brave Browser?
Brave is a privacy-focused, crypto-powered web browser. It uses the Basic Attention Token (BAT) to reward users for watching privacy-preserving adverts, which the user then distributes to websites and creators they visit—either automatically or in the form of tips.
What is the Apple M1 processor?
Apple's M1 processor is the first Apple-designed system on a chip, developed for use in its Mac computers. It first appeared in the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac mini models, and marks Apple's shift away from the Intel processors that it's been using in Macs since 2006.
Unlike Intel chips, which are built on the x86 architecture, Apple's M1 processor is built on an ARM-based architecture, like the processors used in the company's iPads and iPhones. That means that app developers will be able to port iOS apps (used on iPads and iPhones) over to Apple Mac computers using the M1 processor.
Apple devices using the M1 processor have proven to be substantially faster than the company's line-up of Intel-based products. It's the first personal computer chip built using the 5-nanometer process, packing in 16 billion transistors.
It's also a "system on a chip," combining components such as the CPU, GPU, image processing unit and secure enclave on one chip rather than using multiple chips for each feature. It uses a unified memory architecture that enables the CPU, GPU, and other cores to access memory simultaneously, instead of copying data between different areas—one of the main reasons why it's so much faster than rival processors.